Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 061

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 061

The Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), PAR-21-061, is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designed to strengthen and diversify the basic cancer research workforce. The central goal is to recruit and support junior investigators and Early Stage Investigators who come from groups that are nationally underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social science research fields. In practical terms, the program aims to help talented early-career researchers gain a foothold in basic cancer research by providing support for exploratory, early-stage projects that can generate preliminary data, sharpen a research direction, and position investigators to compete successfully for larger, longer-term NIH research grants later on.

This FOA also functions as a bridge for investigators who have completed their research training but may need additional time and resources to transition to independence. That bridge aspect is important because it acknowledges a common gap between finishing formal training (such as postdoctoral work) and being ready to submit a strong, full-scale research project grant application. By backing smaller, exploratory studies in basic cancer research, the R21 mechanism can help investigators demonstrate feasibility, establish a track record, and develop a compelling scientific narrative that supports the next step in their funding trajectory.

The announcement is explicitly limited to non-clinical trial research, meaning clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity. The emphasis is on basic cancer research, with the exploratory R21 structure typically suited to high-impact ideas that may still be in relatively early development stages. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is listed under Education and Health, with CFDA number 93.393, aligning it with NIH cancer-related research support programs.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types, reflecting NIH’s intention to reach investigators working in a wide range of institutional settings. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also highlights a set of institutional categories often associated with serving historically underrepresented populations, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also notes eligibility for faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA places firm limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. In addition, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. These restrictions mean applications must be fully anchored in eligible domestic organizations and cannot include foreign components as part of the proposed project structure.

Key administrative details from the source listing include the opportunity category as discretionary, a creation date of March 18, 2021, and an original closing date of November 17, 2023. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided fields, so applicants typically would need to consult the full FOA text and NIH guidance for budget structure, project period parameters, and any institute-specific considerations. Overall, this program is best understood as an early-career, exploratory funding pathway focused on building a more representative basic cancer research community while helping investigators generate the foundation needed for future, larger-scale grant support.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 21 061

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: